Keep Britain Breastfeeding 2013 - The Benefits of Breastfeeding.

My first post for Keep Britain Breastfeeding Scavenger Hunt 2013 is all about the Benefits, not just for baby for for Mummy too!

FOR BABY:
* Protection against ear infections, chest infections and wheezing.
* Lower risk of diabetes.
* Less allergic disease (eczema, asthma, wheezy)
* Protection against diarrhoea, gastro-enteritis and stomach upsets
* Better mental development.
* Better mouth formation and straighter teeth
* Less Obesity
* prolongs natural immunity to mumps, measles, polio and other diseases.

FOR MUM:
* Lower risk of ovarian cancer
* Lower risk of pre and post menopausal breast cancer
* Stronger bones in later life (osteoporosis)
* Lose the baby weight quicker.

NICE and the Healthy Child Programme recommends that parents need to be aware of some of the health risks of not breastfeeding.
Compared with a fully breastfed baby, a baby who is artificially fed is :
- Five times more likely to be hospitalised with vomiting and diarrhoea.
- Five times more likely to suffer from urine infections.
- Twice as likely to suffer from ear infections.
- Twice as likely to develop allergies especially where there is a family history.
- Twice as likely to develop insulin dependant diabetes (type 1)
- At increased risk of being obese, therefore more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and other illnesses later in life.
- If a baby is born prematurely, they are between 10 and 20 times more likely (depending on gestation) to develop a serious bowel disease.
- More likely to develop childhood cancers.
- More likely to develop heart disease in later life.

I think the research speaks for itself!

For more great Breastfeeding posts this week, why not head over and take a look at :
- Mum2BabyInsomniac
- Circus Queen
- Life, Love and Living with Boys
- The Brick Castle
- In The Playroom

And a huge thankyou to Debbie at Rayne Beau Boos who has provided a Boobie Beanie and Matching Stuffed Boobie with £5 to spend at their store , for the Main Prize Draw and also a separate giveaway for a Boobie Beanie Hat with earflaps, details of which can be found here

a Rafflecopter giveaway